The invention disclosed herein relates generally to articles of clothing with bust support. More particularly, the present invention relates to a woman's sport top with interior bust support.
The development of spandex by various fiber mills (e.g., Lycra-brand spandex, available from E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del.) has promoted the use of spandex in fabrics for various garments. By varying the amount of spandex used in combination with other fibers in a fabric, a fabric manufacturer is able to vary the degree of stretch of the fabric.
This has allowed apparel manufacturers to design, construct, and market garments which are body-conscious (form-fitting) and allow for movement, stretch, comfort, ease of entry, and the wicking away of moisture.
In general, garment tops worn by women during exercise and sporting activities are designed to be comfortable to wear. The comfort of the garment top limits the amount of bust support that the garment top can provide to the wearer. This often means that female athletes need to wear a bra (regular bra, athletic bra, or sports bra) in addition to the outer garment top in order to provide comfort and support to the breasts and surrounding muscle and tissue. This is uncomfortable and inconvenient for the wearer because it increases the number of garments worn.
Further, the two garments (e.g., a spandex-containing top and a bra) are often uncomfortable when worn together because the various straps, zippers, clasps, and the like, which may be on the bra, may interfere with those straps, zippers, clasps, and the like, which are on the outer garment. The pressure of a tight-fitting outer garment may also press the bra's straps against the body, increasing the discomfort. In addition, the bra may not fashionably coordinate with the outer garment. Further, the outer garment may not provide adequate coverage of the bra's straps.
There is thus a need for a sport top which is comfortable, fashionable, and provides adequate bust support to the wearer while allowing for freedom of movement, stretching, ease of entry, and wicking away of moisture.